Sheet mounting mechanism



Aug. 18, 1936. w. G. H. FINCHA SHEET MOUNTING MECHANISM Filed Apil '6, 193e INVENTOR v .3F-l'. ,5TH/ch william wf ATTQRNEY.

Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This' invention relates to sheet mounting mechanism particularly for record sheets to be mounted on the drum of telepicture apparatus.

In telepicture systems employing a long drum with a relatively large diameter, it is desirable to provide means for rapidly, smoothly and rmly mounting a record sheet thereon. b

Prior devices generally required record sheets of predetermined length and/or width and were not readily operable. In my co-pending application Serial No. 69,596, filedMarch 18, 1936, I disclose a sheet mounting mechanism which gripped the record sheet at successive portions and permitting sheets of varying length to be used.

My present invention contemplates a drum provided with sheet gripping members which impart an even and continuous gripping action all 'along the sheet edges and which have a gripping action to maintain the sheet in position.

Further advantages of my present invention are that the picture sheet is rapidly mountable and demountable and that sheets of any length not exceeding the length of the drum and of any width over a predetermined minimum may be accommodated.

Other objects of my present invention are to provide a sheet mounting mechanism'of simple construction and assembly; which is a selfcontained unit and is concealed internally within the drum.

In order to more clearly set forth my invention, a particular embodiment is described in the following in connection with the drawing thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the drum portion of the telepicture apparatus.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through the drum taken along 2-2 of Figure '1,

illustrating the internal sheet mounting mechanism. Y

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken along 3-3 of Figure i.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of the sheet mounting mechanism contained in the picture drum.

Drum I0 is rotatably supported between spindle I I of tail stock I2 and the' driver plate I3 together with spindle |4 rotatablv mounted in bearing I5. Motive power is applied to spindle I4 which is pinned to driver plate |,3 by pin I6. Driver plate I3 is connected to the end plate I1 of drum I0 by a vprojection or key I8. The conical end 28 of spindle I4 rotatably supports drum I8 at the metal insert 2|; and conical end 22 of spindle II rotatably supports the opposite end of drum I0 at the metal insert 23. Insert 2| is pinned to end plate I1 and insert 23 is pinned to the opposite end plate 24. Hollow tube 25 rigidly connects the inserts 2| and 23 at their respective ends 28 and 21. Rotation of driver plate I3 correspondingly rotates drum I0 which is maintained at the proper speed for proper performance of the scanning operations upon the record sheet.

The gripping members are the longitudinally disposed toothed members 28 and 29. Toothed members 28 and 29 are supported on corresponding rods 30 and 3| by brackets 32v and 33, extending from and integral with -their respective 15 toothed members. .Brackets 32 and 33 are pinned to their respective rods 3|) and 3| so as to be rotatable therewith. The rods 30 and 3| are supported by the plates 34 and 35. A longitudinal plate 35 connects with the supporting plates 34 20 and 35 to form an integral subassembly structure for the whole sheet gripping mechanism including the toothed members 28 and 29. Right angle projections' 34a and 35a of corresponding the circumferential drum plate 38 which is in turn mounted upon the drum end plates I1 and 24 as will be evident to those skilled in the art. The rods 30 and 3| project through corresponding holes in the end plate 24. Control levers 40 and 4| are attached to the ends of the rods 30 and 3| to control the operation of the gripu ping members. Springs 42 mechanically bias the gripping members 28 and 29 against the transverse plate 36. As clearly illustrated in Figure 4, one end of the springs 42 is embedded in the end plate 35 and the other end abuts the bracket member 33. Corresponding springs are arranged at corresponding positions in the gripping assembly.

The operation of my present invention -is as follows: One end 43 ofthe record sheet 44'which is to be mounted, is inserted within the space between the plate 36 and the end 45 of the circumferential plate 38. Transverse openings between the ends 45 and 48 of the circumferential plate 38 and the plate 36 which projects therebetween plates 34 and 35 are threaded to accept'the' is provided for the insertion of the corresponding ends d3 and (il of the record sheet lill. Lever di is turned countercloclrwise so as to move gripping member away from its normal position against plate The iirst end Q3 of sheet M, is inserted between gripping member 29 and plate Lever di is then released and the spring l2 biasing action presses member 2@ toward plate 3G and grips into the end. it oi sheet fill. The presser roller member it pivoted at [lil on supporting braclret t@ is then moved over upon drum i@ as shown in its dotted position Gti' in Figure.

Roller member lil is sumciently weighted so as to aord a hrm pressure along sheet 6d. Drum il@ is manually rotated slowly and nlm lll will be smoothly pressed into position upon the surface 3&3 of drum it as will now beevident. The opposite end il of sheet lil is inserted in the space provided between end il@ of circumferential plate 38 and plate Lever il@ schematically illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3 is turned so as to permit the sheet end ll to be inserted between gripping member 2d and plate 36. Upon releasing lever dii, gripping member 2d will be mechanically biased against sheet end lll as illustrated in dotted lines in sectional view Figure 3-and as also illustrated in Figure 4.

The toothed portions or gripping members 2d and 29 are arranged so as to provide a self-gripping action of members 2Q and Ztl upon the corresponding sheet ends di and G3. Any tendency for the'sheet ends to be pulled away from the gripping action of members 2t and 29 will be counteracted by the gripping component of the toothed portions of members 2d and 29. Sheet Mi is readily removed from the drum. by suitable operation of levers d@ and fili to release gripping members 2d and 29 respectively..

The gripping action upon the sheet edges is even` and cbntinuous along the edges. Sheets of any length along lthe drum l@ may be mounted. The width of the sheet, which dimension is vwrapped around the drum is not lneer-:ssarily fixed but may be longer than the predetermined minimum since the corresponding ends will project beyond the gripping members 2t and 29 as will be understood.

A scale as illustrated in ligure 3 is marked upon the exposed edge of plate Bt as illustrated in Figure 4. The scale markings are preferably in inches so as to readily apprise the operator of the length of the picture mounted on the drum or of the length of the portion of a picturev which has been transmitted.

Although I have described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications are feasible that fall Within the broader spirit and scope thereof and I do not .intend to be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a sheet mounting mechanism, a drum; meansmounted wholly within the surface of said drum for engaging edges of the sheet, said means comprising a first gripping member anda second gripping member; means for pivotally mounting each of said gripping members; a plate interposed between said members; and means accessible from the exterior of said drum to permit the engagement and disengagement of said sheet.

2. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a. drum; a first gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping memantigeni bers and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum.

3. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a rst gripping mem.- ber; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; and means for supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum.

4. In a sheet mounting-mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a first gripping `mem ber; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; meansvfor supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum; and means for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate.

5. .ln a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; va lrst gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between` said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting-said gripping members and said plate within said.

drum; and springs for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate.

6. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a first gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said` members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum; means for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate; rods for pivotally mounting each of said gripping members; j

one end of said rods projecting through a side of said drum.

'7. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a first gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum; means for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate; rods for pivotally mounting each of said gripping members; one end of said rods projecting through a side o1 said drum; and one edge of said plate projecting into a longitudinal slot along the surface of said drum.

8. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a. drum; a first gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping memedge of said plate projecting into a longitudinal slot along the surface of said drum; and an accessible lever attached to said projecting rod ends.

9. In a, sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a first gripping member;

a second gripping member; a plate interposed 70.

between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said Agripping members and said plate within said drum; means for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate; rods for pivotally mounting each of said gripping members; one end of said rods projecting through a side of said drum; one edge of said plate projecting into a longitudinal slot along the surface of said drum; and an accessible lever attached to said projecting rod ends for rocking said gripping members against said biasing means to permit insertion or removal of an edge of the sheet between said plate and the gripping members.

10. In a sheet mount-ing mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a rst gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping mem-v bers and said plate within said drum; springs for mechanically biasing saidA gripping members towards said plate; and a continuous pressure roller engageable with the surface of said drum for smoothing the sheet against the drum as the drum is rotated.

11. In a sheet mounting mechanism for e. telepicture system, a drum; a first gripping member; a. second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum; means i'or mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate; rods for pivotally mounting eachof said gripping members; one end of said rods projecting through a side of said drum; one edge of said plate projecting into a longitudinal slot along the surface of said drum; an accessible lever attached to said projecting rod ends for rocking said gripping members against said I biasing means to permit insertion or removal of an edge of the sheet between said plate and the gripping members; and a continuous pressure roller engageable with the surface of said drum for smoothing the sheet against the drum as the drum is rotated.

12. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telei picture system, a drum; a rst gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum; means for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate; rods for pivotally mounting each of said gripping members; one end oi said rods projecting through a side of said drum; one edge of said plate projecting into a longitudinal slot along the surface of said drum; an accessible lever attached to said projecting rod ends for rocking said gripping members against said biasing means to permit insertion or removal of an edge of the sheet between said plate and the gripping members; a continuous pressure roller engageable with the surface oi said drum for smoothing the sheet against the drum as the drum is rotated; and a scale on the projecting edge of said plate for indicating the scanning length of said sheet.

13. In a sheet mounting mechanism for a telepicture system, a drum; a first gripping member; a second gripping member; a plate interposed between said members; said gripping members and said' plate extending longitudinally along said drum; means for supporting said gripping members and said plate within said drum; means for mechanically biasing said gripping members towards said plate; rods for pivotally mounting each of said gripping members; one end of said rods projecting through a side of said drum; one edge of said plate projecting into a longitudinal slot along the surface oi' said drum; and a scale on the projecting edge oi.' said plate for indicating the scanning length of said sheet.

WILLIAM G.'H. FINCH. 

